Thoughts on learning and teaching

Day: December 17, 2016

The day before the winter break is filled with tension. Teachers are tired, and every possible way of exciting kids is present. There are no routines. Weather is wet and windy. It is the perfect recipe for a bit crazy.

Some kids can’t wait for the vacation, the sleeping in, the time to laze around.

But for some kids, three weeks away from the predictability of school puts them into a panic. They act out. Today that tension of being home full time walked into my room and let loose. Fear flew and ricocheted off kids who got in the way. Before you knew it, what seemed like a day to book shop, exchange candy, and finish a read aloud, turned into something entirely different. Anger exploded out of nowhere today, kids looked stunned. They had been working on getting along. But they weren’t. That angry belligerence was a symptom of deep pain.

For many kids, school is a safe zone. Leaving is hard and scary. They are the ones that break my heart but at the same time bring me back with more. They are the reason I’m not tired anymore. Those kids are my kids.